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Tuesday, 12 April 2011

What a waste of a lovely sunny day!!!!

Last Saturday my yearly dose of rapid chess arrived in the form of the Teignmouth rapid tournament. I was quite confident of a good tourney as I have played well in recent years in Teignmouth. On Saturday morning I picked up Mike Ward, Dave Littlejohns and Alex Conway and we arrived in Teignmouth just before the tourney started. Major road works a few diversions made it a little bit tricky to find the way.

Dave and I were playing in the Open section; Mike and Alex were playing in the Major section. The draw for the first round was already out and I was paired on board 1 against Wong from Ilminster with an impressive 206ECF rapid grade. Having beaten Wong in the league before I wasn’t too concerned to be drawn against him.

After a few words from the Mayor of Teignmouth the tourney started and after an unusual opening by black in my game I had a slight advantage. Wong is known for you quick play even in normal time control and I was behind on the clock quite early. After sacrificing a pawn for some attack the game was even but with time trouble just lurking around the corner I couldn’t find the right moves. After sacrificing another pawn for a mating attack I thought I was on top again only to run into a check which lost a piece and I resigned. What a brilliant start!!! L

Dave drew with a junior in a lost position and Alex and Mike both won their opening games.

In the second round I had the black pieces against Boomsma(?) and we reached an equal position after the opening. After swapping off some more pieces we shared the point. ½/2 not the best start to the tournament. Off to the canteen for more coffee!!!

Somehow that did the trick (now having had a 1 litre of coffee) for the next round. Against Dean I won two pawns in the opening after a huge blunder from black. I converted the two pawns easily. There was a glimpse of hope to get my form back on track. But in the next round after the lunch break I couldn’t convert a won pawn endgame against a junior from Devon (I think Leung was his name). I still blame that Full English breakfast at 12.30pm that I couldn’t play any proper chess during the afternoon.

In round 5 it was the Clash of the Titans: Mike Richardt vs. Dave Littlejohns!!!! Being team mates now for several years we always agreed a quick draw and head down to the canteen. But the canteen was now closed and I didn’t know what to do with myself other than playing for a win with the white pieces. Dave always swapping off pieces when he can; playing his usual stuff. But I created chances which cost me dearly!!! Now in time trouble I traded queens which left me with a bishop against Dave’s knight. But his knight was a bloody monster now and my measly bishop just a shadow of his usual greatness in open end games.

The last round summed up my tournament for this year. I had a comfortable position with black when my opponent offered me a pawn on d5, which I took with my knight on f6. He had to take back with his e-pawn and I should have taken his knight on h4 with my bishop on e7…….But instead of taking my Bishop on e7 I took the one on c8. My opponent quite rightly explained to me that this was an illegal move and I resigned straight away!!!! What a f*** up!!!! I couldn’t believe it.

Dave drew his last round game. Alex won his last round game as well after having some difficulties in rounds 3-5. But his achievement of the day: He drew in round 2 against the Major Section winner.

The Open was won by Patryk Krzyzanowski with 5,5/6. He drew in Round 3 against Allan Pleasants and won against most of the top seeds to win first prize.